


Doe

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Reader Prompts JL [10]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drabble, F/M, Hogwarts, Patronus, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-03 16:39:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14000250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: Between one breath and the next, the skin above James' heart tingled and lines that would form his soulmark started to appear.





	Doe

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:** Soulmate AU

It wasn’t the first time James had gone sneaking around Hogwarts past curfew.

But this time, James thought, standing shirtless in the fifth floor loo, was _special_.

It was the twenty-seventh of March and in a few more moments, James Potter would turn fifteen. That was why he was in the empty bathroom, his eyes boring into the wide mirror.

Any moment now…

The seconds stretched and ticked by sluggishly.

Any moment now, his soul-mark would appear.

And then, between one breath and the next, the skin above his heart tingled and lines started to appear.

He watched them, mesmerized, as they came together to form a figure.

He leaned forward, the edge of the sink digging into his stomach, until his forehead touched the cool surface of the mirror. He squinted down at the soul-mark.

It looked… like a deer?

James frowned. What was that supposed to mean?

How was that supposed to help him find his soulmate?

Sure, there was some logic in the mark – after all, when James had finally mastered the animagus spell just a few short weeks ago, he’d turned into a stag.

In that regard, it made perfect sense that a deer would represent his soulmate, too.

Yet, he was disappointed.

He hadn’t even been aware of it, until he’d seen his soul-mark take form, but deep down he’d been holding out hope that his mark would point to Evans.

There was nothing doe-like about Lily Evans, though; neither in her looks nor in her fiery personality.

Shoulders slumping, James picked up his Invisibility Cloak and pulled it on.

As he made the silent trek through the sleeping castle, he resolved not to worry about it overmuch.

He’d find his soulmate somehow.

 

* * *

 

 

It was the spring term in their sixth year, and Lily was brimming with excitement. At long last, they would be practising the Patronus charm today.

She sat at her desk, spine straight and her eyes alert, though when she heard the familiar sound of warm laughter, she spared a glance over to where Potter and his friends were sitting. She looked away quickly, so her gaze wouldn’t linger.

The professor stepped up, and a hush fell over the classroom. He reminded everyone of the theoretical background behind the charm, and then instructed the students to stand up and start trying to cast their Patronus.

Despite Lily’s best efforts, she was only producing thick, silver vapour – though poor Mary hadn’t managed even that much yet.

An excited whoop caught Lily’s attention. She turned her head in time to see a silver stag gallop past her. She stared at it, her eyes wide and jaw slack. Her hand instinctively jumped to clutch her chest, fingers digging into her robes.

“Lily?” Mary asked, noticing her reaction. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Lily mumbled, watching the stag run back to James Potter.

She would need to have a chat with him to confirm… but it would seem she had just found her soulmate.

 


End file.
